sidelined

First up: this is the highest-scoring round this season and possibly ever (I’m not tragic enough to check). A demolition masterclass from the best attacking team this season, another enthralling 3-3 draw, a showdown between the league leaders and Revolving Door FC. Oh, and Melbourne’s luck finally ran out

Melbourne Victory 0 – Newcastle Jets 2

This match was something of an irony, Melbourne have ridden their luck all season but on this occaision they can claim to be hard done by as Alsopp was brought down in the box in suspicious Joel Griffiths-related circumstances for Newy’s first goal, while Pantelidis’ elbow to Griffith’s head came in response to a prolonged harrassment from the latter, though an elbow is a red, no matter what.

Newcastle won ugly, but they had a hand from Melbourne, who could only manage two shots on target from 60% possession, although Hernandez appears to be getting into his groove. Merrick’s under-use of attacking options Leandro and Caceres is utterly baffling, as is his continued preference for a widthless three-DM midfield. It might be handy in retaining posession but it’s effectively a 7-1-2, and all but toothless in attack.

Queensland Roar 3 – Perth Glory 3

What is it with Perth and 3-all draws? This time they managed to convert a 2-0 lead at regulation half-time to a dead-certain 3-2 defeat at the 90 minutes, before Jamie Coyne provided the mirror image of Alex Brosque’s last-second equaliser of Round 8.

Much like that game, Glory were excellent in going forward, slicing apart Roar’s midfield, which suffered from the loss of Tiatto to back strain at around the 30 minute mark. Nikolai Topor-Stanley has improved immeasureably under Smith’s tutelage and is starting to look like a genuine left-back. But again, lapses in concentration let Roar back in at the crucial moment: Marchinho’s goal in first-half injury time — his first in orange — off some excellent lead-up work from Kruse, was a crucial boost to Queenslands confidence, which was compounded by Downey’s foul on McCloughan, inside the box it opened up the game to Simon Lynch to score his first in a long, long time; which he then followed up with a brilliant turn-and-shoot.

This match is another foregone chance for Glory, but they’re sure of a win sometime soon, while Roar’s backs and d-mids need a wake-up call if they’re going to make the top four.

Sydney FC 3 – Central Coast Mariners 2

What a game! Spills, thrills, debuts, missed penalties and last second goalfront scrambles. Everything. The Kosmina effect is in force and it appears to come in the form of a rocket up the arse. There was something in the air last Sunday and the team picked up on it — this was Sydney at their best; the team that mauled Kosmina’s Premiership-winning Adelaide three times in a row in the run up to the inaugral Grand Final, that left Shenhua and Urawa gobsmacked in the opening games of the ACL.

Iain Fyfe and Tony Popovic had their best games in sky blue so far, and the renewed Corica-Juninho partnership was a welcome sight. With the help of debutant Michael Bridges and the evanescent Alex Brosque, FC monstered a formidable Mariners backline, splitting them almost at will for much of the first half. The Mariners managed to get back in the game with two absolute thunderbolts, one from each foot of midfielder John Hutchinson, in each half. Even this was flattering, as Brosque fluffed a hatrick and 4-1 when his penalty kick rocketted off the left post, having decieved Vukovic into diving the other way.

While Sydney’s defense was usually up to the task of defusing Petrovski and Aloisi — who had the worse of the two debuts, though he was starved of supply and marshalled well by Popovic– the post-goal lapse in concentration is still present, and Ufuk Talay was again mediocre in the centre of the park, unable to deny Hutchinson space and still not on top of his passing game. Kossie’s decision to leave Patrick out of the squad in favour of Zdrillic is also a bit of a worry. Kossie, he’s a write-off.

In all, an encouraging start but Kosmina has to find a way of replicating this winning mentality; similar performances were had by the squad early in Branko’s term and Frank Lowy’s pockets aren’t deep enough for him to sack the coach every few months when the team goes flat.

Adelaide United 4 – Wellington Pheonix 1

Adelaide are killing it this season, while the Nix have been shown-up at the back after an impressive start. There isn’t much more to say: pure demolition from a team that looks capable of the Double. Pheonix and Glory are now set for a critical showdown next week at MES — if either is going to have a crack at 4th spot, now’s the time.

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